TenLinks Bike Across America 

Countdown - the Final Week of Preparation

Only one week left before I dip my wheel in the Pacific and start riding! It’s getting hard to think of much else these days as I mentally run through a myriad of thoughts. Packing lists. How are the legs? Is the weight down? Is there sufficient sufficient coverage at work? Places to stay. And so on.

Physical Preparation

The training has been going well. However, the amount of mileage required to get ready for a trip like this about equal to the trip itself. I admit I have fallen a bit short in this category, having accumulated a little over 2,200 miles on the road this year. It’s difficult to fit all that time in as there is a business to run and a family.

But I like to think that the quality, if not the quantity, goals have been achieved. Many of the miles were hilly and I’ll need hill-hardened legs to get me up and over the Rockies. I’ve done Mt. Tamalpais, Marin’s highest point, several times this year. Last week I did back-to-back 100+ mile rides to see what the next day would feel like. While I wasn’t able to muster all the power on the second day, I was happy to note I could still easily turn the pedals on even the hardest hills. When I compared the course time for the second day to my best time, I was less than a half hour off. The best thing was that I felt as if I could do it again on the third day. I didn’t, though—my family would have killed me.

Last Saturday, I thought I’d test myself again, this time by riding an organized century (100 mile ride). My original plan was to keep my heart rate up (I use a heart rate monitor for all my training these days) to about 130 beats per minute and see how long I could last. However, I found that in the semi-competitive environment that often accompanies a organized bike ride, I had no trouble maintaining 140 bpm and many times it was over 150 bpm. I finished the century in 5 ½ hours—my best time yet!

Of course, I will not be riding at that sort of intensity during the Bike Across America for fear of burning out early. Also, I’ll be staying focused on safety.

In the last couple of weeks, I've focused on my position on the bike, particularly against wind. I expect the wind to be a big factor, especially in the Great Plains. I've tried to train my body to tolerate long stretches crouched low with elbows and hands tucked in. I've noticed I can gain as much as a mile per hour in speed with no additional pedaling effort.

I've managed to drop 4 lbs to my present 131 lbs. I don't think I can do better than without sacrificing strength. If you know any bike riders, you know we are all obsessed by weight, whether it's shaving grams off the bike or pounds off their butts. The less you have to haul up the hills, the better.

From now til the April 26th, I’m going to wind down with just a few 30-40 mile rides, I'll try to eat well and get plenty of rest.

The Scholarship

Thanks to the generosity of several companies and individuals, the pledges so far have already amounted to over $18,000. With only a week left, I’d say the goal of $25,000 is within reach. Thanks to all who have already reached into their pockets or company funds to make a difference by helping a student go to college. A special thanks to Autodesk, who is giving enough to create an Autodesk/TenLinks scholarship. If are still thinking of donating, it’s not too late. Any amount will be gratefully accepted. There’s a pledge form available at www.tenlinks.com/bikeacrossamerica.

TenLinks Won’t Miss a Beat

My special thanks to the staff at TenLinks. Everyone has been extremely supportive of the Ride Across America. All will step up and take up the slack while I’m riding. We hope to not miss a beat despite my one month absence from the office. Although I’ll be on the road, I’ll be able to connect via phone and Internet. TenLinks Daily and our weekly newsletters will still be delivered on time.

Trip Updates

Where am I? How many miles today? How’s the weather? Any interesting road kill? Sights? Strange characters? All these and many other questions will be answered on my daily log which will be on our website at www.tenlinks.com/bikeacrossamerica. If you’d like to get an email update, just let me know. I’ll send you a weekly update from the road.

For more information, please contact:

Roopinder Tara, CEO/President, TenLinks, Inc., Novato, CA 94947, USA

(415) 897-8800 x 221

rtara@tenlinks.com

www.tenlinks.com/bikeacrossamerica